Method of and apparatus for displaying rugs and other articles



' Ma 17, 1932. c. E. GILBERT 1,858,269

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING RUGS AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed Nov 27, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet 1 fla /5% 3351 4 @W WW M w May 17, 1932. c. E. GILBERT METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING RUGS AND OTHER ARTICLES 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 avwwto'c Filed Nov. 27, 1928 May 17, 1932. c. E. GILBERT 1,858,269

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May 17, 1932 c. E. GILBERT 1,858,259

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ISISPLXYING RUGS AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed Nov. 27, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 I I v avwwnboz @l 5g 35 A 6mm Patented May 17, 1932 UNITED STATES CHARLES E. GILBERT, OF NEW YORK, N.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING RUGS AND OTHER ARTICLES I Application filed November 27, 1928.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for displaying merchandise such as rugs, oil cloths, wall papers, textiles and other commodities, and has for its object the provision of means for performing my improved mode of displaying rugs and other articles.

In its simplest terms the invention resides in a mode of procedure designed for displaying rugs automatically and in a given manner.

The method comprises essentially that the articles to be displayed be properly mounted in spaced relation so as to admit of carry ing the same through a complete cycle, and

while so transported be exposed to view wholly or in part at a given position. If the article is rolled it is automatically unrolled at a given position. Thereafter, as the said article passes out of the display position it is automatically rerolled or re-folded and then permitted to continue in its travel within the closed cycle.

In this manner, a number of articles can be carried through the display position and thereafter again folded or rolled for storage or for other purposes. Obviously any number of articles may be thus automatically and successively exposed to view and subjected to said cycle in a continuous succession. In its simplified terms therefor, the method of displaying rugs consists in moving a rolled rug into display position and unrolling the same wholly or in part, as it passes into said position, then passing it out of said display position and rerolling the said rug as it passes out of said display position. It is obvious that any number of rugs may be thus automatically displayed in continuous succession.

My mode of thus displaying goods is capa' ble of being carried out by various instrumentalities and I have disclosed and claimed herein a form of apparatus suitable for this purpose.

A further ob ect therefore of my invention includes the provision of means for holding and arranging in a definite manner, the articles to be displayed in accordance with my improved mode of procedure.

Another object embraces means for holding Serial No. 322,266.

rolls of articles to be displayed and means for unrolling said rolls at a given position which, for convenience will be designated herein as the display position.

v I further provide for rerolling said unrolled articles as said articles pass out of the display position.

I also provide, in the conveyor cycle, manually controlled auxiliary rerolling means operable for rewinding any articles that may have been unrolled by hand.

I further provide adjustable rug holding spools or means for accommodating rugs of different sizes. r

Other objects will appear hereinafter and I obtain these objects by the constructiondisclosed by the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is an end elvation of one form of apparatus suitable for carrying out my invention. i I

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail of the upper portion of the construction shown in Figure 1. r

Figure 3 is atop plan view of my apparatus. I

Figure a is a View taken on the line 4- 1 of Fig. 3 showing the upper portion of the left hand side of my apparatus with the roll releasing mechanism about to enter the top release.

Figure 5 is a view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3 showing the opposite upper portion or right hand side thereof.

Figure 6 is an enlarged plan view of the roll releasing mechanism.

Figure 7 is an end view thereof.

Figure 8 is an. enlarged detail of a portion of the operating mechanism shown in Fig. 5. 1 Figure 9 is a front end view thereof.

Figure 10 is a plan view thereof.

Figure 11 is a rear view of the lower left hand end of my apparatus showing the auxiliary rewinding device and the drive motor.

Figure 12 is an end view thereof.

Figure 13 is a plan view thereof.

Figure 14 shows a rug partly unrolled and ready to be rewound by the auxiliary rewinding mechanism.

Figure 15 is a detail view partly in section of the rug carrying mechanism.

Figure 16 is a section on the line 16-16 of Figure 15.

Figure 17 is a section on the line 1717 of Figure 15, and

Figure 18 is an enlarged view of Fig. 17 and showing means for readily releasing the rug holding rod.

Like reference numerals refer to similar parts where they appear in the several views.

A preferred form of apparatus suitable for carrying out my invention comprises end frames properly spaced and secured by tie bars of suitable length to form the supporting frame for the operating mechanism. This frame carries sprocket wheels or the equivalent for the conveyor and the rug carriers. The frame also carries the display means and mechanism for holding the rug carriers from unwinding before the display position is reached. It further supports means for automatically unrolling a rug as it reaches the display position and means for rewinding or rerolling said rug as it passes out of the display position.

The frame (see Fig. 1, for the right hand end) comprises uprights 20, cross-bars 21,

and tie-bars 22, the latter holding the end frames in spaced relation. On each end of this frame, at suitable points there are mounted two sets of sprocket wheels 23, 24, 25, 26, 26, over which operate the conveyor chains 27, 27. Sprockets 241-, 24 are united by a tie shaft 28 and therefore operate the carrier chains in unison. These chains are driven from the sprocket wheel 23 by means of a drive chain 29 which is operated by a suitable motor 30.

It will be noted that the conveyor chains 27, 27 are provided with conveyor attachments 31. These attachments are suitably spaced on conveyor 27 and are adjustable for carrying the rug holding and display devices. These devices comprise a tubular member 32 of suitable length and greater than the width of the rug. On this tubular member there is fitted a rug guiding disk 33, which may be adjusted by means of the adjustment screw 34: to meet the requirements in the diiferent widths of the rugs.

The rug carrier is also provided with cars 35 in which are held the rug holding bars 36. In the right hand end of the tubular rug carrying member there is fitted an arbor 37 having thereon a guide pin 38 and a gear 39. The operation of this mechanism will be presently described and the part just described is the portion which cooperates with the right hand side of the mechanism. The left hand side of the rug carrying mechanism is likewise provided with an adjustable end spool or guide disk a0, similar to disk 33 and with red holding ears 41 and rug holding ratchet 42. An enlarged view of the rug holding ratchet is shown in Fig. 7. This ratchet cooperates with a pawl 43 which is tensioned by spring 44 and is released when the pin 45 engages the trip 46. This rug will then be unrolled, because gear 39 of the rug carrier engages the rack bar 48 and the conveyor moves the rug controlling gear 39 over said rack bar. The rug will thereby be unrolled onto the display portion 50 substantially as shown in Figure 1.

In order that the teeth of gear 39 may engage the teeth of rack bar 48, I provide a guide control wherein the S-shaped guide 47 and a stop plate 47 are pivotally mounted to permit the guide pin 38 to pass and adjust itself onto the stop plate 47' when the rug holding ratchet 4:2 is released. That is to say, if the rug carried is in a position so that the guide pin does not engage guide plate 47 and happens to strike the stop plate 17, this plate will swing on its pivot 51 and allow the pin to pass.

At this time the rug carrier is in position where the holding ratchet is released and the weight of the free end of the rug will turn the carrier over until pin 38 engages the sur-' face of stop plate 47' similar to the position shown with respect to the stop 49. Stop plate 19 is pivotally mounted at 51 and spring 52 permits said plate to be moved, should pin 38 be turned so as to strike it when gear 39 leaves the unrolling rack bar.

As the conveyor now continues to travel, in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 8) the rug is held at rest in display position until the teeth of gear 39 engage the teeth of the overhanging rack bar 60, for rerolling the rug. hen gear 39 thus engages the rewinding or rerolling rack bar 60, the rug is gradually rewound and at the same time is advanced in the direction of the arrows, therei by pulling the rug over the tensioning bar 62, thus properly rewinding it evenly and without telescoping.

To quickly fasten the rug holding bars 36 when a rug is placed on the carrier 32, I

provide one of the ears 35 with a slot and a holding screw 35. This form of construction permits ready removal of the rod to place the end of a rug on the carrier to be held by the red when the rug is wound on the carrier, which is then fastened on the conveyor chains. It is understood that the rug carriers are rotatively mounted in the conveyor attachment 31. It is further understood that the conveyor chains may be provided with any suitable number of said attachments, and then the articles to be displayed are supported thereon either rolled or unrolled.

It sometimes happens that it is desirable to view a rug after it is rewound and while in transit to the display position. For this purpose rugs may be unrolled by hand when they reach the open position near sprocket 23. hen in this position, the holding ratchet 42 may be released by hand and the rugFpulled out on the floor f about as shown in ig. 14:. To rewind or reroll a rug thus displayed I have provided the auxiliary rewinding device. This device comprises a rewinding chain 63 spaced above the lower return lap of the conveyor chain 27 so that gear 39 is normally engaged and rotated to reroll the rug. Chain 63 is driven from chain 64 which is driven from the carrier chain 27 through the double drive sprocket 65, 66. This sprocket is supported on the pivoted lever 67 and held in engaged position by spring 68 through the foot lever 69 and link 70. The auxiliary rewinding mechanism may be stopped when desired by depressing the foot lever as is obvious.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for displaying rugs and the like comprising conveyors spaced apart, means for moving said conveyors in unison, means for attaching and carrying a plurality of rolls of rugs to and on said conveyors, means for successively unrolling each of said rugs, means for rerolling said unrolled rugs and means for preventing said rugs from rerolling unevenly.

3 2. Apparatus for displaying rugs and the like comprising conveyors spaced apart, means for moving said conveyors in unison. means for carrying a plurality of rolls of rugs, means to unroll and unwind rugs, a

bar over which said rugs are pulled to prevent telescoping in rerolling and auxiliary rewinding means in the path of said rugs.

3. Apparatus for displaying rugs and the like, comprising conveyors fixedly spaced apart, means for moving said conveyors in unison, conveyor attachments on said conveyors, rug holding spools carried by said attachments, and means on said spools for adjusting the ends thereof to accommodate rugs of different widths to the fixed spaced apart relation by the conveyors.

4. In rug display apparatus, conveyor chains fixedly spaced apart, attachment blocks having bearing seats carried by said chains, and rug carrier bars having bearing ends seated in the bearing seats of said attachment blocks, said carriers being adjustable for difierent widths of rugs despite the fixed spaced apart relation of the conveyors.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 21st day of November A. D.

CHARLES E. GHJBERT. 

